DIXON, CA (MPG) - Last Saturday in Hall Park, Solo Rugby hosted a youth rugby tournament involving games played by middle school students, U12 and U10.

“The kids started the game rusty but by the end, they were playing much better and more cohesively,” said Coach Kelly Evans, who added that it was “perfect rugby weather.” Evans explained that when it’s muddy, the ground is soft so when one gets tackled, it’s easier to take.

“If it’s hot, it’s too exhausting because in rugby, there is continuous running, unlike football quarters and half times,” he said. Evans grew up playing rugby and was the Assistant Coach for UC Davis for many years while they won the national Championship in 2015.

Solo Rugby, officially known as the Solano-Yolo Rugby Club, was officially founded in 2015 by the merger of Dixon High School Rugby and Davis High School Rugby, and thus Solo Rugby has a rich tradition, reported Evans. Dixon High School Rugby was established by the late Rob Salaber in 2006 and achieved the pinnacle of youth rugby by winning the National Rugby High School Championship in Utah in 2012.

Davis High School Rugby in turn was one of the founder members of the Sacramento Valley Youth Rugby League in 1983, and one of its players, Thretton Palamo, played nineteen times for the U.S. National Team (the “U.S. Eagles”), making history in his first appearance in 2007 as the youngest player in a Rugby World Cup tournament.

Vacaville was another founding member in 1983, but unfortunately no longer exists.

Rugby in fact is so ingrained in this region that it can trace roots back to Babe Slater, a Woodland resident and UC Davis Graduate, who captained the U.S. Olympic Team to the Gold Medal in the 1924 Olympics, according to Evans.

After the COVID hiatus, Solo Rugby is being restored in honor of Rob Salaber by eager youth from Dixon, Vacaville, Davis, and Winters, coached by Evans, Gary Gordon, Rick Flynn, and Cody Westergaard. Martin Mercado also serves on the Board.

“It’s been a joy to be involved again,” said Evans. Currently, Solo Rugby is playing jointly with Elk Grove Rugby as they each strive to increase our numbers to be able to field our own respective teams.

This season, Solo Rugby also welcomes any young lads, 3^rd through 8th grades to join the team. Currently, there is not a high school or girls’ team, but they’re intending to grow. For more information, please contact Evans at [email protected].